


It's Okay, I Promise

by trashpup



Series: 911, What's Your Emergency? [3]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Communication, Healthy Relationships, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:40:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23182630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashpup/pseuds/trashpup
Summary: PROMPT: TK has a breakdown during sex with Carlos and Carlos starts to learn just how abusive TK’s ex was and reassures TK that he’s not mad and he’s okay / Alex (TK's ex) filled TK’s head with so much bullshit and Carlos is learning how bad it actually was.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Series: 911, What's Your Emergency? [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1663795
Comments: 8
Kudos: 286





	It's Okay, I Promise

**Author's Note:**

> this was a request from theworld-is-out-there on tumblr!! i hope i did it justice!!

“God, I love how you feel around me,” Carlos groaned, not noticing that TK had stopped moving. When he opened his eyes a couple seconds later, he saw TK laying on the bed with tears in his eyes.

“No, keep going, it’s okay. I’m sorry,” TK let a couple tears fall, before sniffling and encouraging Carlos to start moving again with shaky hands. Carlos moved off of TK and held onto his hands.

“I won’t, TK, if it’s not fun for both of us, it’s not going to happen,” Carlos pulled TK over so he was sitting on Carlos’ lap. “Now, you wanna tell me what’s going on?” Carlos noticed TK’s entire body was shaking. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry for ruining this,” TK cried, he moved off of Carlos quickly, before curling into himself, hiccupping. Carlos gently put his hand on TK’s knee, seeing him flinch away from the feeling.

“Tyler Kennedy Strand, listen to me. You did not ruin anything. I’m not mad at you, and I’m not going to push you to talk about this, but I’m here to listen to you if you do want to tell me what happened,” Carlos didn’t try and touch TK, but he did bring the boy a pair of boxers to put on if he wanted them. 

TK took them and slowly put them on, peering out into the bedroom to see where Carlos was. He saw Carlos sitting up by the headboard, looking at him, eyebrows knitted together, worried. TK dropped his head down and took a deep breath.

“I, I don’t know what happened, but something triggered a really bad memory with my ex and I got scared,” TK said, not daring to raise his voice above a whisper. He didn’t know if Carlos heard everything or not, but he didn’t want to look up, just in case he was mad. 

Carlos inched closer to TK, careful to not startle him. He sat in front of TK, listening to him take shaky breaths, trying to regain his composure.

“TK, can you look at me, please? You don’t have to say anything, I just want you to listen to me, okay?” Carlos held out one hand and set it next to TK’s leg. TK slowly moved his head up, making eye contact with Carlos’ outstretched hand. He moved his own hand to cover Carlos’ and sniffled. He looked up at Carlos with puffy, red eyes, mouth parted to apologise. 

“I-” TK started, but was promptly cut off by Carlos. 

“Hey, don’t you dare apologise for your feelings, okay? It’s okay, I will never be mad at you for stopping _any_ activity because you don’t feel comfortable anymore. Your comfort and safety matters just as much as mine, and with as much as you ask if I’m okay, or if what you’re doing is okay, I should be asking you way more,” Carlos chuckled, counting through every time TK would stop in the middle of sex or just any random activity and ask if Carlos was still okay with what was happening. He noticed that TK was overly cautious about everything he did while he rarely asked. 

“TK, I don’t know what your ex did, but I want you to know that if I’m ever doing something you aren’t comfortable with, no matter what, I want you to feel safe enough to tell me that you aren’t okay with it,” Carlos squeezed TK’s hand, wanting to let TK know that he would never be upset with him for taking care of himself. 

TK couldn’t speak, his throat felt dry and he felt like he might just start sobbing again and he didn’t want to put that on Carlos. Carlos, who has been so understanding while TK suffered through nightmares and breakdowns for seemingly no reason. Carlos, who never pushed TK to share his trauma. Carlos, who TK didn’t deserve. 

TK lost all composure, leaning forward into Carlos’ lap, shaking as loud sobs racked his body. Carlos carefully lifted his free hand and set it on TK’s back, rubbing in circles, hoping to calm him down some. 

“I’m so, so sorry,” TK wailed from his awkward position in Carlos’ lap. He felt horrible for having such a bad reaction in front of Carlos, he had to make this right. He had to make it up to Carlos. 

Carlos, on the other hand, just wanted to make sure TK was okay. He slowly moved TK’s legs out from underneath him so he was laying on his stomach. He lifted TK up so he was laying directly on top of him, still sobbing into his naked chest. 

“Hey, TK, listen to me,” Carlos whispered, kissing the top of TK’s head. “I want you to try and get some sleep. You need to rest. We can talk about this some other time, okay? I want you to know I’m not mad at you and I want to say thank you for telling me something instead of bottling it up. I love you very much, you are so incredibly strong.” 

TK had stopped crying and was just sniffling by the time Carlos stopped talking. He was sleepy, as he often was after crying. He slid his body off of Carlos’ and curled up next to him, feeling him pull the blanket over them both. Carlos planted another soft kiss behind TK’s ear, whispering _good night, sweet dreams; I love you._

-

TK woke up before their first alarm went off, noticing that Carlos had put his phone on its charger before falling asleep. He smiled and grabbed it, seeing a missed call from his dad, probably wondering why he didn’t text him the night prior. He slipped out of bed, hearing Carlos stir from behind him. Tip-toeing, he went into the kitchen to call his dad and start a pot of coffee. 

“Hey dad, sorry I didn’t text you. Carlos and I went to bed early, I had a breakdown and we decided to go to bed early,” TK explained, hearing Owen sigh on the other end. 

_“TK, we talked about this, I thought you were doing better,”_ Owen sounded exasperated, it made TK feel guilty and second guess all the progress he’s made. 

“I have been doing better, dad, I swear. Sometimes I just get triggered and I can’t help it,” TK ran a hand through his hair, desperately trying not to get too emotional about this. “I’ll see you in a bit, dad, I have to go get ready.” 

TK hung up the phone, his hands shaking. He let it slip out of his hand and onto the countertop with a clatter, taking a deep breath and turning around, leaving the coffee pot to fill up on its own. He slowly opened the bedroom door, seeing Carlos still laying in bed, the first alarm having not gone off yet. He slipped back into bed, hearing Carlos mumble something in his sleep.

“It’s just me, babe, stay asleep. We’ve still got a bit before our alarm goes off,” TK snuggled closer to Carlos, smiling at the warmth he offered. He allowed himself to drift back off to sleep for the time being. 

-

“TK, wake up sweetie, it’s time to get ready,” Carlos was already up and dressed for work, while TK slept soundly in bed. “Sleeping Beauty, c’mon or I won’t be able to drop you off before I go in.”

Carlos threatened TK with having to drive himself to work, knowing that TK did not like driving alone now, even though he used the excuse constantly when they first hooked up. TK remembered and knew Carlos would never forget, so he took the threat seriously. He slid out of bed, grabbing his work pants and AFD t-shirt, grabbing a pair of boxers that were neatly folded on top of the dresser on his way to the bathroom. 

His morning routine didn’t take long, but he was now working under the impression that Carlos wouldn’t drive him to work if he didn’t hurry up (it was a lie, Carlos would always drive TK to work, no matter the consequences). 

While TK got ready, Carlos stood in the kitchen, holding his nearly empty cup of coffee in one hand while he texted Marjan in the other. Ever since TK came out and told the 126 that he was a recovering addict, they’ve all been a little more protective of TK when they could be. Marjan took it upon herself to text Carlos at least twice a day to ask how TK was doing, or after a particularly rough shift, she would tell Carlos that TK had a rough day. She cared about her family, and it showed; as much as she liked to joke, she knew when things were serious and when she had to protect someone. 

Carlos told Marjan that TK was going through something, and that it had something to do with his abusive ex and that he might act as if nothing happened, but just so she’s aware. Marjan was the type of friend that TK needed, one that cared about him and showed it. 

TK hated it, he hated that everyone thought he deserved loved and positive attention. He tried so hard to push everyone away, but they always came back and supported him, even after he told them that he was an addict, they all supported him and they continued to be there for him when he didn’t deserve it. 

He scratched at the back of his neck, seeing Carlos standing in the kitchen, now holding TK’s coffee cup in his hand. Carlos looked up at TK and smiled, holding out the coffee before gesturing to the front door. TK took the coffee and thanked Carlos before wordlessly walking to the front door. 

Carlos shouldn’t be making him coffee or driving him to work, it should be the other way around. Carlos deserved to have things done for him, but TK had done nothing to deserve it. He stopped in his tracks, causing Carlos to nearly run into him. 

“Everything okay, babe? Did you forget something? Got your phone, wallet, keys?” Carlos questioned, not understanding why TK stopped moving. He could see the outline of TK’s wallet in his back pocket and his keys in his front pocket. He held his phone in one hand and his coffee in the other, so Carlos had no idea. 

“Why are you doing things for me, Carlos?” TK whispered. He was still scared that Carlos was going to get mad at him for asking a question. Alex did, Alex got mad whenever TK said anything out of turn, too. “I don’t deserve any of this,” he added on. 

“TK, honey, you do deserve this. You deserve this and so much more. What makes you think you don’t deserve to be driven to work and given fresh coffee, that you made, by the way. All I did was pour it into your cup,” Carlos moved to stand in front of TK, gently guiding his chin up to look at him. TK’s eyes filled with tears, realising that Carlos was serious. 

“I just-” TK cut himself off, motioning for Carlos to keep walking to the car. Once they were both sitting in Carlos’ cruiser, he continued, “Alex always told me that I existed to serve him and others and no one existed to serve me, so I don’t deserve to have coffee ready for me. I don’t deserve to be driven to work. I should be the one doing things for you.”

Carlos was at a loss for words, he didn’t know how to respond to TK, but he did know that if he wasn’t a police officer, he wouldn’t be above hitting TK’s ex until he bled. TK didn’t really seem phased by what he said, he just casually mentioned it, allowing Carlos to really get a glimpse into how badly TK’s ex treated him. It killed him to see TK like this, so _okay_ with how he was treated. He didn’t realise how much he was manipulated and screwed over and Carlos was going to fix it.


End file.
